Many of you will probably have to wait until your well into your twilight years to afford a home with a secret passage way.  But in the mean time you can get your very own secret passageway light switch, which instead of opening a concealed door turns illuminates a lamp when you pull on a book hidden in the stacks.  Sounds like a reasonable compromise to us, and when the time comes you’ll be half way there to installing your very own panic room.

The Secret Passageway light switch is created by Ben Light, which may or may not be an actual person, though the About us page on the linked site says that it is – the name seems too good to be true.  Nonetheless, you can buy one of these switches for $50 a pop, though there is a rather large caveat; the instructions for installation have yet to be completed, though Ben Light says they should be done in a few week’s time.

We’d love to see a wireless version developed, which might be more expensive but much easier to install since it could easily be composed of a module that sits between the light’s plug and the outlet.

Back to the Future 2 was full of empty promises.  And by that we mean the Hover Board, which we hoped would some day actually get released by Matel. Instead it turns out that it was simply movie magic at its best.  However, Marty McFly did make good and release a pair of those futuristic Nike Mag sneakers, though they fell short in terms of expectation since they weren’t self lacing.  So the only way we see fit to satiate our need for all things futuristic is to buy one of these magnetic floating lamps.

The name leaves something to be desired, Light-light, but the tech is giving us a rather large bulge in our pants.  While it looks like a normal light, the top, or tip of the lamps are completely wireless, light up and float freely above the base unit thanks to a set of magnets and the egineering genius of one Ger Jansen and a company called Crealev.  They’re available available in two models, Silhouette and Eclipse, and incorporate LEDs, which are not only energy efficient but dimable to your mood

The Light-light was designed by Angela Jansen, a Design Academy Eindhoven graduate, and are available for $1,300 each.

Through the years we’ve seen some pretty neat bike gadgets. There’s the Firefly, which illuminates the rear of the bicyclist and increases the light’s intensity as a car approaches; the Hindsight, a HUD that provides a 24/7 view of what’s behind the rider; and the SEIL bag, which communicates with drivers as to what the rider is going to do (e.g. stopping, turning, etc).  This list is actually far more expansive, but these three are closely related to the Revolight.

It’s another Kickstarter project, but unlike some others that we’ve featured in recent, this one has already garnered significant movement.  And by movement, we mean $122,000 of green locomotion and they haven’t even completed their allotted funding time, with 13 more days to go.

So what is the Revolight?  It’s an LED ring of lights (white for front, red for back) that mounts to the bike’s rim using a set of specially designed clips.  A magnet attaches to the fork and communicates the speed and location of the wheel enabling the LED light to focus its direction of ambiance at the forward and rear facing part of the wheel.  The result is a highly visible set of lights for both motorist, other riders and the proverbial captain of the ship.  A small USB rechargeable battery attaches to the hub and sends power via a thin wire.

While there are three inventors (Kent, Adam and Jim) behind the Revolight, Kent appears to be “the inventor.”  The inspiration for the idea occurred after he went looking for a light that not only lit the way while riding his bicycle at night, but provided drivers with an almost 360 degree heads up of his presence.  Apparently, no product on the market achieves this, and based on our biking experience, and time spent in bike stores we’d have to agree.

To receive a set of Revolights you’ll need to pledge a minimum of $200.  Keep in mind, though, that they’re still a few prototypes away from production, so the chances of you seeing a finished Revolight this year are slim to none.

2 out of 5 stars

If there’s one thing that could be said about humanity, it’s that our incessant desire to build something bigger and better than something someone else has built which caused some crazy creations. It’s from that deep pool of wanting to do things better that the Torch Flashlight from Wicked Lasers was birthed.

While your average household flashlight is perfectly content to come in at 100 lumens or less, the Torch dwarfs them all.  Pumping out an astonishing (and blinding) 4100 lumens (yes, four thousand one hundred), the Torch claims the title of “World’s Most Powerful Flashlight” – a claim I surely won’t dispute.

With the Torch on, you instantly feel like Helios, harnessing the power of the very sun itself.  Need to illuminate a room in pitch darkness?  Go for it.  Need to immobilize someone trying to break into your house?  The Torch can cause permanent retinal damage.  Need to cook eggs?  The torch can do that too.

Unfortunately, with great power comes great power consumption.  The Torch comes with it’s own super-cell battery, but said battery only provides enough juice for a maximum of five minutes of run time.  It comes with a makeshift charger as well that only takes around 30 minutes to charge the battery (the light is supposed to change from red to green when it’s fully charged – mine never did).  In reality though, using the Torch for more than a few minutes could really be dangerous for the user.

After about two minutes of setting things on fire with the Torch – the intense heat that it produces is more than enough to set fire to paper, kindling, or I would assume flesh (I could see Joe Pesci using it to torture someone in a modern-day mob movie for some reason) – I was seeing spots just from the reflection of the light.  I don’t even want to think about staring into the beam directly; it would probably cook my eyeballs.  The heat that the light produces is also enough to, as I mentioned earlier, cook eggs.  I placed a piece of sheet metal on top, and was able to cook a perfect sunny side up egg (and all the videos online show is scrambled).

Unfortunately the heat is also a bit of a problem as well.  It only stands to reason that, if the beam is that hot, some of that heat will get transferred to the Torch itself.  To combat that, it’s recommended you don’t have the Torch on for any longer than three minutes at a time – and I can definitely attest to that being a wise rule of thumb.  I had mine on for about three and a half minutes, and it became extremely uncomfortable to touch the body at all.  From the lens to about two inches away was so hot that I couldn’t even think about touching it.  Another issue with heat comes from the battery, and not just while operating (pulling that much juice would bake any battery warm).  While charging the battery, you have to pay attention to the charger to make sure the temperature sensor doesn’t go off, which just adds to the danger.

While the Torch may be great for parties, or just something to show off to friends in an “I have a flashlight that can start fires” kind of moment, it’s not very practical.  The extremely limited battery life, and extremely high chance for something to go wrong make this something to really only use in an emergency situation, however the high price makes it something only those who enjoy throwing money away can attain.  For that reason, I give the Torch by Wicked Lasers two stars out of five.

Pros:

• Setting fires with a flashlight is a good party trick
• In a pinch, you can cook breakfast
• Think of how much fun it would be to blind an attacker

Cons:

• Only a five minute battery life
• Extremely dangerous
• Very high price point
• EXTREMELY DANGEROUS

You can pick up the Torch from Wicked Lasers for $149.95

It doesn’t get any basic than interior lighting as far as home furnishing items are concerned. Sure, you can use any old lamp to light up your place, but for those who want something a bit more unique and stylish, here are some interesting lighting choices that will not only light up your home…but light it up with a bit of flair!

Hyphae Lamp by Nervous System

The Hyphae Lamp might look like some a piece of futuristic alien debris, but it’s actually a series of organic lamps inspired by how veins form in leaves. Created by Nervous System, the lamps are lit by an eco-friendly 3-Watt 200 lumen LED light (with three bright Cree LED’s that will last for 6 years of continuous use) and allow for some very dramatic (not to mention cool) branching shadows within the space you place it in. No show lamps in the series are ever alike, given the lamps are made using a simulation that uses physical growth principles to build sculptural, organic structures. In essence, lighting your place with one of these Hyphae Lamps will provide beautiful lighting and be the talking piece for all your guests.

Joker Lamp by Volker Haug

While it may sound as if it’s something out of a Batman movie, the Joker Lamp by designer Voker Haug is actually a second-hand chandelier that gets a very interesting makeover. Haug actually created a custom-tailored zip-up leather “jacket” for chandelier out of recycled leather and fitted it accordingly. The result is a unique piece that will add character to any room.

Dom Lamp by Domo

Created by Barcelona-based Domo, the Dom Lamp is a very sleek and modern lamp that’s comprised of a geometric design made up of triangular sections. The entire lamp is made out of aluminum triangular shapes all pieced together, creating a very rugged and functional appearance. There are two sizes to choose from: Dom and Small Dom.

Most light bulbs twist and turn into place.  But how about a version that clips?  The Peg uses a clip mechanism, like a clothespin, to hold the light bulb in place and all the while transfers energy to the attached bulb through a set of contacts.  It’s a pretty neat design that we’d love to put on our patio or roof.

The design/concept is part of Steffi Min’s thesis.

Read

The folks at Quirky products are back and this time one of their many members has designed the Mantis, a battery operated light that can stand freely or clip onto the bottom of a monitor to provide enough light to illuminate your keyboard without distracting you from the display.

The Mantis, as the name suggests, features two foldable legs that allow the device to be placed any where you might desire. There are 11 LEDs which can burn at a high or low setting for up to 30 hours using two AA batteries, though it will shut off automatically after 2 hours of use.  The ends are rubberized to prevent slipping off surfaces and a separate clip is provided to attached the body to a shelf, monitor, laptop or table top.

As of today, 3/1, 123 of 1500 “commitments” have been made at the price of $26.99.  So if you want this product to see the light of day you best provide a preorder.

Read

3 out of 5 stars

Pros:

• Multiple light options, including red LEDs for night vision
• Converts from headlamp to lantern in minutes
• 2 AA batteries = 72 hours

Cons:

• A bit cheap feeling, especially the lantern portion
• No padding on battery compartment

Joby’s Gorilla Switchback isn’t exactly what anyone would call a must have product. Sure, it boasts utilitarian value, but unless you’re a camper who is tight on backspace and is into novel gadgets, you’re probably gonna pass on this one.

As with all of Joby’s flashlight products before the Switchback, it too uses Joby’s bendy legs and universal tripod mount, which is included in the box for those looking to add this tripod to their line of camera accessories.

The Switchback takes two AA batteries (included in the box) and literally straps around your head. The portion that holds the batteries, which sits at the back of the skull, is devoid of padding. So I can only imagine that it could become a bit uncomfortable after long term use, although after 15 minutes of wearing it I didn’t find the case to be such.

The front portion of the device, the headlamp, contains three different LED lights: a 130-lumen Bright CREE LED spotlight, 2 white led flood lights and 2 red LED flood lights – the last are intended to provide light without impairing night vision.  Controls on the battery pack allow you to cycle through the different light choices as well as vary the intensity of the main lamp.

What makes this device unique is the included lantern portion, which effectively acts like a lamp shade. You simply stuff the head lamp and all its contents into the plastic casing, snap the base into place – it took me a few minutes to get it to all fit – and attach the tripod legs. Then with a slight tug you expand the casing to the reveal the translucent portion of the casing (the lamp shade) and walla, soft light spills out over a wide area.

My first attempt at installing the lantern took me about 5 minutes, since it took a few tries to get all the wires neatly in place and the base locked in. I also managed to rip the top portion of the lantern from the base since it didn’t smoothly slide open – no breakage, though.

Joby says you’ll get 72 hours of use from two AA batteries, though that time will probably vary since you can increase the brightness of the main lamp. The design, while a bit cheap, is light weight, water resistant (IPX4) and does provide enough light for the two campers sharing a tent and is plenty bright for night time exploration.  It just doesn’t exude the same confidence and build quality as the Joby Blade.

You can buy the Joby Gorilla Switchback at Amazon for $59.95.

Who knows why you’d need the LED Cube, but does it really matter?  It cycles through a variety of colors using 64 individual LED lights to produce up to 1000 different colors.  Useless, yes, but it will surely add some much need pizazz to your boring and cold desktop.

In case you were wondering it measures 4 inches x 4 inches x 5 inches tall.

You can snag one for $99.

Read

Replace push of a button with push of a bulb and you get the idea behind the Lighbulb Pushlights.

And it’s not just that it saves on space, and wires, and having to find a convenient place for a button, which might ruin and otherwise naked and glistening wall, but there’s something about the idea of touching a bulb and it coming to life that’s very appealing.

Light under the lightest touch, something along those lines.

Read

Get these wireless remote controlled Christmas tree decorations, because, while there’s many other things you could wish for during the Holiday season, nothing will geek out your tree more than these.

Although I’m sure if I googled all of two minutes, I’d easily prove myself wrong. But any Jabba the Hutt inspired tinsel that might be out there, I don’t want to see it.

These glass baubles are crystal clear and contain mouth blown milk glass figurines. All the figurines on the tree light up at the touch of a button, and turn off similarly. They weight 60 grams and attach to branches via clip, and there are small, 8 x 2cm (3″ x 3⁄4″) (L x diameter) battery boxes, that are hidden behind branches are light the bulbs for 150 hours, which by the manufacturer’s claim is a long and prosperous life for the average Christmas bulb.

Read

The one thing people dislike about Compact Fluorescent Lights, now that they’re mostly not mercury laden anymore, is their low initial brightness upon turn-on.

With that in mind, GE Lighting has added a small halogen capsule inside their new hybrid halogen-CFL bulbs, making them turn on instantly to a high level of brightness.

Once the CFL side of things is up and running at full strength, the halogen capsule turns off. Mercury levels are also very low, at 1mg, compared to 1.5 to 3.5mg for most CFLs.

First on the shelves will be 15 and 20-watt versions, which are equivalent to 60 and 75-watt incandescent bulbs, while having an 8,000 hour life expectancy, which is eight times that of incandescent.

Read

Update: Check out Joby Gorilla Switchback review.

Joby is at it again and this time they’re offering something called the GorillaTorch Switchback.  We’re not really sure how it works, but the light sounds perfect for campers since it can transform from a head lamp (a light you wear around your cranium) into a lantern in what we figure is a matter of seconds.

As always there is Joby’s bendable legs for easy mounting and 5 powerful LEDs including a 130-lumen CREE XLamp XP-G LED spotlight, just like we saw in the Blade.  There are 6 brightness settings, an adjustable dimmer switch along with 2 red LEDs to help preserve night vision.  If you purchase the separate camera mount screw it can double as a tripod.

Unlike the Blade you’ll have to bring your own batteries, two AAs to be exact.  Joby says they’ll last for up to 72 hours.

The GorillaTorch Switch back goes on sale soon at select retailers (Amazon, REI, LL Bean, etc) for $59.95.

From solo to social, the multi-functional lighting solution is the perfect companion
for the outdoors

The Gorillatorch Switchback will launch on October 21st at Tent City Event in
San Francisco’s Presidio

San Francisco, CA – October 21, 2010 – Joby, Inc., the world-renowned designer of the best-selling
Gorillatorch Original and the Gorillapod™ line of innovative camera tripods, makes history again with the
category-defining launch of the Gorillatorch Switchback. The ultimate companion for the outdoor
enthusiast, this combination lantern-headlamp uses the same LED light array in a single form factor to
avoid the need to carry two separate lights.

Produced with the latest in high-performance materials and LED light technology, the Gorillatorch
Switchback combines exceptional light quality with innovative product design. With 5 powerful LEDs,
including a 130-lumen CREE® XLamp® XP-G LED spotlight, 6 brightness settings and an adjustable
dimmer switch this social to solo lighting product is an overflowing cauldron of beautiful light. The 92%
ultra-efficient holographic lens produces brilliant and even light that is easy on the eyes when viewed
directly, a vast improvement over traditional lanterns available today.

“We wanted to create a lighting product that encourages strong social interaction in the same way that
a campfire does,” says JOBY CEO Forrest Baringer-Jones, “Our deep research into the needs of skiing,
surfing and climbing guides as well as extreme backpackers inspired us to create an entirely new product
that combines a lightweight headlamp with a social lantern utilizing the same LED lighting engine. Our
friends on the mountain told us their existing solutions didn’t work, so this piece of revolutionary design
is for them and many others.”

As a lantern, the Gorillatorch Switchback is capable of illuminating an 8-person family tent or small
cabin, making it the ideal light for any social gathering – from meals at the campsite, to an evening game
of cards on the patio. Gorillatorch Switchback can easily hook to the inside of a tent, sit on a table or
attach to a branch using the included flexible lantern stand.

The integrated design allows for a quick transition to headlamp mode, with an ergonomic, woven
headband that can be comfortably worn for hours. The Switchback can illuminate a trail up to 60 feet
ahead, with two additional white LEDs for flood lighting and two red LEDs to preserve night vision.

Built to last throughout a weekend of outdoor adventures, the Gorillatorch Switchback uses two easy-
to-find AA batteries for a battery life of up to 72 hours. The flexible lantern stand also doubles as a
camera tripod when using the included standard camera screw.

The Switchback retails at $59.95 and is available globally for purchase at select retailers including; REI,
L.L. Bean, Eastern Mountain Sports and Amazon.

This fall, Joby, Inc. is excited to introduce a range of iconic products that inspire the creative and active
lifestyle, expanding its Gorillapod, Gorillatorch and Gorillamobile lines.

The Gorillatorch Switchback is the third of six products that JOBY is launching this fall. The Gorillatorch
Switchback will launch on October 21st in San Francisco at Tent City, an interactive experience that will
celebrate a return to backcountry roots, and an active outdoor lifestyle.

When you think Joby you think tripod, right? Not any more. The Joby Gorilla Torch Blade is the result of intelligent product design and form meets function.

Up until this point, in fact up until I actually received the GorillaTorch Blade in the mail, I was a skeptic. I’ve laid my hands on the first GorillaTorch and didn’t think too much of it. The body is flimsy and to much my shock it has a tendency to turn itself on – no joke.

The Blade on the other hand is solid all around. It’s body can best be described as a chunk of solid metal (aircraft-grade aluminum) – that’s a good thing. And of course there is Joby’s patented bendy legs with magnetic feet, which means it works just about any where you need to stick it. It’s rated IPX-5 water resistant and uses a an ultra-bright CREE XLamp XP-C LED bulb.

The battery, which lasts about 2.5 hours on full power (130 lumens), is completely rechargeable. A mini-USB port is hidden behind the rubber switch, which flips opens to reveal the port and they’ve include a wall wart with a USB plug, so if need be you could charge this thing via your computer’s USB port. Charging is indicated by a blue LED inside the lens that remains lit until charging is complete.

If you don’t want the bulk or hassle of the bendy legs, the body easily slides off the tripod and becomes a standalone flashlight that fits in the palm of your hand.

But don’t let the Blade’s diminutive size fool you. It can produce up to 130 lumens. By default, when you turn the tactical flashlight on, it shines 65 lumens. This  is sufficient for most scenarios, but if you require an extra burst of power, 65 more lumens, you can hold the power button down. Hold it down for 3 seconds or more and it will activate the power boost for up to 3 minutes. Why you can’t just cycle permanently to the high power setting is a bit annoying if the job at hand calls for more minutes than it allows.

Much like a Maglit, you can switch from spotlight mode to flood. You just need to rotate the head of the Blade. Our review unit was a bit stiff, so our initial rotation required some extra elbow grease, but the point being is that you won’t break it.

The head of the tripod can rotate 360 degrees and pan 180 degrees, which lends itself to the GorillaTorch Blade’s flexibility (double entrende).

So lets review: flexibility? Check. Practicality? Check. Form meets function? Check. Solid build? Check. Reasonable price ($60)? Check. Although it may sound like I’m “towing the company line”, the GorillaTorch Blade truly is a tacticianer’s delight.

Amazon has the Joby GorillaTorch Blade for $58.

Pros:

• Super solid build and sleek design
• Rechargeable battery with USB port
• Removable Joby tripod w/ bendable legs & magnetic feet

Cons:

• Full power mode cycles off after 3 minutes
• Rubber switch could break off and get lost
• Built-in battery means standard batteries don’t work in a pinch

Once again Joby is at it again.  This time they’ve launch a new flash light called the GorillaTorch Blade.  Sounds badass, don’t it?

They’re billing it as a tactical flashlight, which conjures up images of Navy Seals breaching a beach.  Close but no cigar.  The Blade uses a CREE XLamp XP-C LED that produces up to 130 lumens, a 30% increase over their GorillaTorch Flare.  And of course it sports the same Joby bendable legs, a fully articulating heading (360 pan, 180 tilt) and neodymium magnetic feet for that go any where, do any where job.

The GorillaTorch Blade includes a USB and AC charger for $59.95.

Read

This handy device was shown off at this year’s IFA by a Chinese company called Magic Bulb.  It uses an LED bulb that consumes just 4 watts of power, but produces the equivalent light of a 50 watts incandescent bulb.  But that’s not the best part.  The bulb contains a rechargeable battery, which means in the event of a power outage the light will remain lit.  And that’s not all.  It can double as a flashlight thanks to the handy extendable neck.

The flashlight/bulb is expected to cost about $30-40 with a 20,000 hour lifespan (about 2.2 years).

Read | Source

Wind up flash lights are pretty old news. The BunBun Eco Light, however, puts a new spin on the old tech. Instead of requiring a separate crank for winding and charging, the light features a hidden handle that can be pulled apart from the base and used to spin the light around like a lasso, subsequently charging the battery. It uses 3 LED lights and is available in pink, green, purple and black for $53.

Check the video after the ‘leap’

HVAC systems never come cheap and usually require an extensive installation process.  But if you’re anything like me – I just wanna control my lights with my iPhone – than there seems to be no cheaper answer than X10.

The setup is semi-simple (their site is a mess).  You buy a controller box which plugs into your computer.  Your computer runs their software and programs the controller to send a wireless signal to whatever X10 gear you decide to invest in.  In terms of wireless lighting options there are three:

1. The SocketRocket, which screws into any standard lamps light bulbs socket.
2. The Transceiver.  It’s a small wireless box that plugs into any two prong socket and can turn any device attached to it on and off.  There is a separate stand alone remote that works with it.
3. The Decorator Dimmer Switch.  It replaces your standard switch and adds not only dimmer capabilities but can be controlled wirelessly.

From my understanding once all these pieces are in place you just need to download their $10 XCommander iPhoneapp (it really should be free) and control all of the connected lights directly from your iPhone.  It’s probably not the prettiest of solutions, but in total it shouldn’t cost you more than $150. In fact, they’ve got a package deal that include all of the aforementioned pieces minus the Dimmer Switches for $100.

It’s too bad no one has yet to develop a simple plug and play lighting device that works directly over Bluetooth.  Then again Bluetooth can’t connect to more than a few devices at a time and is painfully slow.

Sometime there just isn’t enough room for a desk lamp.  The Flat Light Poster is literally a poster that lights up.  Too bad it costs $195.

What if I told you that there is a light bulb that can last up to 17 years and cut your electricity bill all at the same time?  Well, now there is.  GE plans to release the Energy Smart LED bulb sometime later this year or early 2011.  When used for 4 hours a day (or less) it will burn bright for up to 17 years, provided of course that you don’t drop it or leave it illuminated all day every day..  The bulb is designed to give off the same amount of light as a standard 40 watt bulb all the while using only 9 watts of  power, a 77% energy savings.

When it does finally go on sale the bulb should retail between $40 and $50.

Read